Method of fabricating abrasion resistant ceramic insulation tile

Abstract

The present invention is embodied in an abrasion resistant ceramic material comprising a porous ceramic material having a surface, and a preceramic polymer infiltrated into the surface wherein the preceramic polymer is converted to a ceramic state.

What is claimed:  
     
       1. A method of producing an abrasion resistant ceramic insulation material comprising the steps of: 
       infiltrating only surface portions of a porous ceramic material with a pre-ceramic polymer;  
       curing the infiltrated pre-ceramic polymer; and  
       pyrolyzing the infiltrated pre-ceramic polymer to form an abrasion resistant, integral ceramic matrix throughout only infiltrated portions of the porous ceramic material.  
     
     
       2. The method of claim  1  wherein said step of infiltrating surface portions of a porous ceramic material with a preceramic polymer comprises the initial step of: 
       pouring the preceramic polymer into a container.  
     
     
       3. The method of claim  2  wherein said step comprises pouring the preceramic polymer to a predetermined depth in the container. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim  2  wherein said step of infiltrating surface portions of a porous ceramic with a preceramic polymer comprises: 
       soaking a portion of the porous ceramic material beneath a surface of the preceramic polymer.  
     
     
       5. The method of claim  4  wherein said step comprises soaking the porous ceramic material in the preceramic polymer to a predetermined depth. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim  1  wherein said step of curing the infiltrated preceramic polymer comprises: 
       heating the infiltrated preceramic polymer.  
     
     
       7. The method of claim  1  wherein said step of pyrolyzing the infiltrated preceramic polymer to form an integral ceramic matrix comprises: 
       heating the infiltrated preceramic polymer in an inert atmosphere.  
     
     
       8. The method of claim  1  wherein said step of infiltrating surface portions of a porous ceramic material with a preceramic polymer comprises: 
       inserting the porous ceramic material into a container having a predetermined depth of the preceramic polymer; and  
       absorbing the preceramic polymer into the porous ceramic material.  
     
     
       9. The method of claim  1  further comprising the step of: 
       increasing the abrasion resistance of the integral ceramic matrix by repeating the steps of infiltrating, curing, and pyrolyzing.  
     
     
       10. The method of claim  1  wherein the step of infiltrating the porous ceramic material further comprises pouring the pre-ceramic polymer into a container to a depth corresponding to about 10% of the ceramic material thickness and placing the ceramic material in the container for infiltrating the ceramic material with the pre-ceramic polymer up to a depth of about 10% of the ceramic material thickness. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim  1  wherein the step of infiltrating porous ceramic material further comprises infiltrating the porous ceramic material with a pre-ceramic polymer having a viscosity in the range of 1 to 400 centipoise. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim  1  wherein the step of infiltrating porous ceramic material further comprises infiltrating the porous ceramic material with a pre-ceramic polymer only at room temperature.